After the glitz and glamour of private space travel has worn off, what is going too keep us out there? I have some ideas on the subject and there is historical precedent for some of them. But, I would really like to have your thoughts on them, and if you can think others I’d like to hear them.

How about all of the above? There will be 'roid miners, there will be freedom-seekers, there will be deported prisoners, and industrial facilities (if the process is too dangerous for Earth, why not put the factory on the Moon instead?). I am of the belief that within a hundred years we will have the first spacebound nation (i.e. a nation that has no holdings on Earth). It will most likely be a completely new nation (there's been talk of a 'geektopia'... ) but a rebellious colony might also be a good bet. My guess is in the latter case, it will be on Mars, since Mars is just survivable enough an environment for them to live, and just far enough away to make retaking it by force lack feasability.

I am of the belief that within a hundred years we will have the first spacebound nation (i.e. a nation that has no holdings on Earth). It will most likely be a completely new nation (there's been talk of a 'geektopia'... ) but a rebellious colony might also be a good bet. My guess is in the latter case, it will be on Mars, since Mars is just survivable enough an environment for them to live, and just far enough away to make retaking it by force lack feasability.

Er ... I think you just described the basic plot outline of the movie Total Recall?

This is an easy one, since it's already keeping us in space!: Scientific research colonies.

Once scientific bases are set up on the moon, expansion is a lot more practical than with the ISS, and there's enough to do out there to keep hundreds of people occupied. Initially this will be research, but very quickly it will become a zero-g launching and construction ground for future craft.

The benefits are obvious. Once we get the materials up there, being able to construct craft that don't need heat shielding, don't need to reach escape velocity, don't need to be aerodynamic or light, don't need to account for re-entry, etc, will significantly increase what we can do and at what cost.

This is an easy one, since it's already keeping us in space!: Scientific research colonies.

Hmmm ... I dunno FB ... I also thought this might be a sort of initiator too ... but then I remembered that humans have already had scientific outposts in hostile environments for decades ... research stations at the poles. These have yet to translate into what would be commonly thought of as communities. And the amount of research that can only be done in space and/or zero-gee is not very much compared to the entire volume of scientific research currently pursued by humanity as a whole.

I think the prime attractor is going to have to be marketable resources in this case ....

All them are possible. THe one that would cause the quickest expansion into space of course is war, but I'd rather not have to go through a war that would be big enough to shove a sizable amount of refugees into space. Mining and industry in space will be closely related, there will be a 'Gold Rush' feeling to many for (mainly) the asteroid belt. But industry also has great prospects with the great amount of resources in space.

I voted mining, I skimed past the industrial manufacturing vote, but that will be bigger than mining in time,

The 3 big reasons for space colonization are

1: Space Industry and Mining

2: Desire for Freedom or Independence (communal or individual)

3: Desire to Explore

Let me digress a bit,

How will space colonization work? lets look at colonies of the past from an economic point of veiw ( not dealing with whether or not the colonies failed in some respects ie the Puritan Half Way Covenant and related things which caused alienation of the original settlers grandchildren.)

Puritan New England-Economic success, long term anyway- not sure how the original investors made out.

Spanish Colonies-Massive short term sucess for the mother country, long term improverishment for the colonies.

Colonization based on any number of mining or industrial enterprises will likely be the catalyst to move large numbers of people off this planet. After there are hundreds of people inhabiting a space colony, then they will need other support personnel, such as maintenance, entertainment (music, etc.), retail stores, hotels for tourists and on and on.

The question is whether to do this more quickly than the NASA 30 years of snail paced progress.

Consider a recent proposal by former Rep. Bob Walker. The federal government wouldn't need to spend any taxpayer dollars, if it gave the first business to construct a permanent lunar base with its own money a 25-year exemption from all federal taxes on all of its operations, not just those on the Moon. Think of all the economic activity that would be generated if a Microsoft or General Electric decided to build a base! And the tax revenue from that activity probably would offset the government's revenue losses from such an exemption.

How fast would space development/colonization take place, if instead of Paul Allen's Millions, you had GE's or Citigroup's Billions of venture capital? :?:

Also consider creating enterprise zones in orbit would help make up for government errors of the past. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher proposes a "Zero Gravity, Zero Tax" plan that would remove an unnecessary burden from "out-of-this-world risk-takers."

If we're true to our nature, we will explore and settle planets.

But only individuals with vision, acting in a free market, will make us a truly space-faring civilization.

_________________"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."
P.J. O'Rourke

One of the ideas that intrigues is the idea of something like the transportation laws that made the colonization of the Southern States, Australia, and French Guinea possible.

What I wonder is it really nessary for a profit to be made? Was Devils Island profitable?

And not to bring on a Total Recall slam. But there is something to be said about the nature of a colonie, and the nature of the people who would choose to leave the comfort of earth, to live in a void.

Ever read the Nights Dawn trilogy? Tranquillity was a habitat in the middle of nowhere, but it thrived due to an abundance of H3 and it being a tax haven. The same principles could be used today for a colony on the moon.

nice question buddy!
i think as most people most if not all of the above will be a reason someday! i was wondering though if we had to leave now! like a huge war or catastrophe would we have the technology to keep the human race alive off of earth? if all of our resources had to be moved in a few years could we ship everything we need to the moon or somewhere and send people there to live? maybe a war would be the catalyst here